Still Softened
by ferryboat George
Summary: This is a little follow up to silver falcon24's fic Softened Edges.  If you've read that, you won't need a summery, and if you haven't read it, why not? Not sure I can put a link here, but it's inside.


Written on 3-29-12 Disclaimer: They don't belong to me.  
>AN: I've come to the realization that most people, myself included, don't look at the author page when they read a story on fanfictiondotnet, so I've decided to include this note with my stories. If you're looking for some story ideas, or just like reading crazy crossover bunnies, check out my author page for some interesting ideas.  
>AN: After reading silver_falcon24's fic Softened Edges (whitecollarfic. livejournal.  
>com 483138. html) My muses dumped this on me and I had to write it. silver_falcon24 gave me the go ahead to share it, so here it is. It might make sense without reading her fic, but since her's is wonderful, why wouldn't you read it :)

Neal gingerly lowered himself into the car, groaning and holding his side. "Remind me never to do that again."

Peter looked at him in amusement. "What? Never be thrown out of the way by a fleeing suspect?"

Neal smiled slightly. "Exactly."

Peter snorted. "You're lucky that broken rail only left you with stitches and bruising instead of cutting you in half, but it definitely wasn't anything you did that made it happen."

Neal's face twisted in a grimace and he closed his eyes as he settled back. "I just have to not be in the way next time."

Peter eyed him critically. "The hospital give you something for the pain?"

Wordlessly, Neal held up a prescription bottle and rattled it.

Peter smiled wryly. "And did you take any?"

Neal shook his head slightly. "I missed lunch today. I'll take some after dinner."

Peter's smile turned rueful. "Are you fishing for a dinner invite?" He continued before Neal could protest. "Fine, I'll buy you a pizza, now take the pills."

Neal shook his head. "No way, you do not want to see me on pain pills with an empty stomach."

Peter sighed and reached into his pocket for his phone. Encountering something else, he looked down at the glasses Neal had been wearing for his alias and absently tossed them into Neal's lap. He then punched in a number on the phone. "Look, I'll call ahead, the pizza will be waiting for us. Now take the pills."

Neal stuck out his tongue without opening his eyes, but he did open the bottle and dry swallow two of the pills. Completing his order, Peter pulled smoothly into traffic.

Twenty minutes later, Peter hit his steering wheel in frustration and glared at the bus stalled across both lanes, several cars up. He couldn't even pull a U-turn and escape because it was a one-way street. He stole a look at Neal, who was currently drooling on the window, but at least he didn't seem to be in pain.

As he watched, Neal suddenly jerked upright, eyes wide and unseeing. "I didn't, Mozzie!"

Peter couldn't help himself. "Didn't what?"

Neal slumped back, blinking sleepily and slurring his words. "Dinn t say hi to Agent Burke, jussh send him pezza."

Peter couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping. He remembered quite well the stakeout that had included pizza delivery from Neal. He'd had no clue that Mozzie had been there with Neal, or that Neal had wanted to come down and say hi to him. Neal really needed a full-time keeper.

He glanced back over at the younger man, who appeared to be blinking at the glasses he'd picked up from his lap. Neal frowned down at them in puzzlement. "Mozzie needs his glasses. Can't be Mozzie without them."

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a pen, looking around vaguely. "Mozzie? I need to draw the glasses on you again, so you can be you." He blinked in surprise at seeing Peter.

"Peter. You're not Mozzie."

Peter opened his mouth to reply, but Neal uncapped the pen and leaned over, aiming for Peter's face. "I'll just draw the glasses on you and you can be Mozzie. Then you can't argue over me."

Peter grabbed Neal's arm before the pen made contact, then gently removed the pen with his other hand. "Ok, next time I'll listen to you when you say you need to eat with your painkillers."

Guiding Neal's hand back into his lap, he studied the con man. "Did you really draw glasses on Mozzie's face?"

Neal broke out into a full megawatt grin, the kind he got when he was really happy, not the charming con one. "Yep, sure, ya betcha."

Neal suddenly frowned. "He didn't like it. He yelled at me."

Neal's frown turned rather pouty. "Don't like being yelled at."

Peter didn't get a chance to answer as the car behind him honked its horn and he looked forward to see the bus had finally been cleared. As he started forward, he could see Neal leaning against the window again, blinking sleepily. Peter smiled, thinking about what he was going to say the next time he saw Mozzie.


End file.
